Sarawak travel advice
Weather advice
Harriet Whitmarsh, from our supplier, The Great Projects shares her tips on coping with rain showers: “The weather in Sarawak is predictable in terms of temperature, but it can be unpredictable in terms of rainfall – the likelihood is that you will experience a short, sharp shower at some point during your visit. You can easily take cover in the main towns, as the craft shops and stalls there are covered, but it’s also handy to pack a small umbrella because when the rain does come down it comes down heavily. It’s handy to have a good waterproof jacket with a hood for rainforest and national park trails and I’d also recommend taking a cover for your backpack. I always take small sealable plastic bags to put my phone and money in because if it rains when you’re trekking your backpack can get wet in places even with a cover on”
Our Sarawak Holidays
Borneo 8 day tour, the wild heart of Borneo
A unique experience in the untouched, beautiful Sarawak.
From
£855
8 days
ex flights
Sarawak wildlife & beach holiday
Encounter an orangutan & hike through virgin rainforest
From
£1264 to £1520
10 days
ex flights
Singapore and Sarawak holidays
A wildlife and Cultural Holiday to Singapore and Sarawak
From
£3050
15 days
inc UK flights
Sarawak family holiday
An action-packed holiday got the whole family to enjoy!
From
£898
9 days
ex flights
Borneo overland tour, Sarawak, Sabah & Brunei
Exotic Trans-Borneo Rainforest Discovery, including Brunei
From
US $1098
13 days
ex flights
Borneo wildlife holiday, Sarawak
A light trekking and jungle adventure holiday in Sarawak
From
£3015
14 days
inc UK flights
Borneo wildlife cycling holiday
Ultimate Borneo wildlife experience on two wheels
From
MYR8242
9 days
ex flights
Wild Borneo holiday, private departure
Highlights of Malaysian Borneo including a homestay
From
€3780
18 days
inc UK flights
Sarawak and Singapore holiday
Discover beautiful Sarawak with a 2 night Singapore stopover
From
£1720
15 days
ex flights
Orangutan conservation holiday in Borneo
Meet Iban tribes and encounter orangutans in Borneo
From
£1195
13 days
ex flights
Luxury beach holiday in Borneo & Orangutans
Relaxation in one of nature's most picturesque settings
From
£1915
13 days
inc UK flights
Sarawak off the beaten track tour
Explore Remote Sarawak’s Coastal and Interior Region
From
MYR3646 to MYR5814
7 days
ex flights
Iban longhouse experience in Sarawak, Malaysia
Take a 3 Day Tour to be part of the Iban Tribe!
From
£595
3 days
ex flights
Sarawak and Sabah tour, Orangutans & Ibans
Explore Borneo's unique culture, heritage and wildlife
From
£1597
13 days
ex flights
Borneo cycling holiday, Headhunters Heartland
An epic ride into The Iban Heartland
From
MYR7626
7 days
ex flights
Sabah & Sarawak holiday in Borneo
Wildlife, jungles, culture and idyllic beaches
From
£2535
14 days
inc UK flights
Borneo tour, Orangutans and Iban
Spotting wild orangutans and meeting indigenous tribes
From
£3499
22 days
ex flights
Sarawak 5 day cultural tour
Explore Sarawak’s remote and fascinating coastal region
From
MYR3568 to MYR5201
5 days
ex flights
Borneo tailor made tour
A Borneo holiday tailor-made for the adventurous traveller.
From
£2139
12 days
ex flights
Highlights of Borneo group tour
Small-group culture and wildlife tour of Borneo
From
£3160
14 days
inc UK flights
Orangutan volunteering in Borneo
Volunteer at an award-winning orangutan rehabilitation centre in Malaysian Borneo
From
£795 to £1995
8 days
ex flights
Borneo holiday, Sarawak highlights
Wildlife, Orangutans, longhouse stay & beach in Sarawak
From
£2296
13 days
ex flights
Sarawak rainforest cycling tour, Borneo
Discover the sights, sounds & taste of authentic Sarawak
From
MYR6600
8 days
ex flights
Borneo wildlife holiday
Showcasing the best of Borneo - wildlife, rainforests and tropical beaches
From
£3839 to £4489
17 days
inc UK flights
Sarawak holiday, wildlife adventure
Tailor-made wildlife and turtle holiday to Sarawak
From
£2770
15 days
inc UK flights
Sarawak Rainforest music festival holiday
Explore Malaysia's diverse flavours and gastronomic delights
From
£1416 to £1550
11 days
ex flights
Sarawak and Sabah holiday, tailor made
Tailor made Sarawak and Sabah adventure holiday
From
£3595
17 days
inc UK flights
Borneo small group adventure holiday
A 12-day Borneo tour to Sabah and Sarawak
From
£2475 to £2775
13 days
inc UK flights
Responsible souvenir advice
Stef Studley, from our supplier, Regent Holidays shares her advice on how to buy souvenirs responsibly: “Avoid buying any animal products that are obviously endangered – things like turtle shells and crocodile skins. There is bit of a hidden market for this type of ‘souvenir’ in Sarawak and there’s a big Chinese population, so traditional Chinese medicine has entered the conscience of the State. If tourists show an interest in these products and are willing to pay money for them, the demand will be met with supply, which is never a good thing where animals – endangered or not – are concerned. Stick to buying local handicrafts like woven baskets and bracelets.”Food advice
Harriet Whitmarsh, from our supplier, The Great Projects shares her tips on eating in Sarawak: “The most popular food in Sarawak is ‘roti canai’ – an Indian flatbread served with daal, different kinds of curries or mixed sambal with lots of chili. The defining flavours are oyster sauce, sesame and soy and they eat a lot of laksa too, which is a broth is made with a paste of sambal, sour tamarind, galangal, lemongrass, herbs and spices, chicken stock and coconut milk. My favourite thing to eat in Sarawak is what we call ‘morning glory’ here and that they call ‘kangkong’; it’s a leafy green fern and Kuching is the absolute best place to eat it. They cook it in sesame and soy and it’s delicious - you can eat it as a dish in itself easily and things like bean curd are readily available too, so it’s very easy to be a vegetarian.”Itinerary advice
Stef Studley, from our supplier Regent Holidays shares her advice on choosing the right Sarawak itinerary: “Trekking between lodges in the Batang Ai National Park to help with the orangutan nesting research is a very interesting itinerary for people that want to be a bit more involved with Sarawak’s wildlife, but the accommodation is basic. The other thing that not everyone knows about is staying overnight in Bako National Park; historically, the problem has been that the accommodation in Bako was beyond terrible, but they’ve just built some new accommodation that is a lot better. If you stay overnight, you get so much more time because you don’t have to work with the sea tides to get in and out of the park and you can do early morning and night walks – there is so much wildlife to see and it’s all much more active at dawn and dusk.”Our top Sarawak Holiday
Sarawak wildlife & beach holiday
Encounter an orangutan & hike through virgin rainforest
From
£1264 to £1520
10 days
ex flights
Small group travel:
2019: 4 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 29 Aug, 12 Sep, 26 Sep, 10 Oct, 24 Oct, 21 Nov, 5 Dec, 19 Dec, 26 Dec
2020: 2 Jan, 30 Jan, 20 Feb, 5 Mar, 19 Mar, 26 Mar, 2 Apr, 9 Apr, 16 Apr, 23 Apr, 7 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 18 Jun, 2 Jul, 9 Jul, 16 Jul, 30 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 27 Aug, 3 Sep, 10 Sep, 24 Sep, 8 Oct, 22 Oct, 19 Nov, 3 Dec, 17 Dec, 24 Dec
2019: 4 Jul, 1 Aug, 8 Aug, 29 Aug, 12 Sep, 26 Sep, 10 Oct, 24 Oct, 21 Nov, 5 Dec, 19 Dec, 26 Dec
2020: 2 Jan, 30 Jan, 20 Feb, 5 Mar, 19 Mar, 26 Mar, 2 Apr, 9 Apr, 16 Apr, 23 Apr, 7 May, 21 May, 4 Jun, 18 Jun, 2 Jul, 9 Jul, 16 Jul, 30 Jul, 6 Aug, 13 Aug, 20 Aug, 27 Aug, 3 Sep, 10 Sep, 24 Sep, 8 Oct, 22 Oct, 19 Nov, 3 Dec, 17 Dec, 24 Dec
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Sarawak or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
Health & safety in Sarawak
HEALTH
SAFETY
Sarawak tips from our travellers
At Responsible Travel, we think the best people to advise our travellers are often... other travellers. They always return from our tours with packing tips, weather reports, ideas about what to do - and opinions about what not to.
We have selected some of the most useful Sarawak travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
We have selected some of the most useful Sarawak travel tips that our guests have provided over the years to help you make the very most of your holiday - and the space inside your suitcase.
Listen to the guides for guidance and information about the animals. Respect the fact that you're a guest in the home of a variety of wild animals
- Fiona Trolley
The infrastructure and facilities are a lot more westernised than I was expecting, don't go too overboard on packing lots of thing you don't think you can buy. - Kirsty Howland
Take an open mind and enjoy every moment. - Michelle Blois
Take lots of memory for your camera as there will be lots of things to photograph. - Antony Stanton
Be prepared to dress for all weathers from heavy rain to bright sunshine. - Claire Onody
Take an open mind and enjoy every moment. - Michelle Blois
Take lots of memory for your camera as there will be lots of things to photograph. - Antony Stanton
Be prepared to dress for all weathers from heavy rain to bright sunshine. - Claire Onody
Talk to the local people - they have so much passion and many stories to tell.
- Deanne Ward-Thompson
To get the best out of everything it's important to be prompt and prepared. The organisation was very good, so put any cares or concerns to one side and sit back and enjoy. - Jonathan Reed-Lethbridge
It says you'll get an adventure and you do. Don't expect your home comforts here. - Penny Earle
Be as mentally, physically and emotionally healthy as you can so you can put 100% effort into your adventure - it is priceless. - Sherryn Page
Many animals are high up and difficult to see. We knew exactly what we were going to and thought the experience was unbelievable, but some people hadn't expected this and were disappointed. - Gillian Slater
It says you'll get an adventure and you do. Don't expect your home comforts here. - Penny Earle
Be as mentally, physically and emotionally healthy as you can so you can put 100% effort into your adventure - it is priceless. - Sherryn Page
Many animals are high up and difficult to see. We knew exactly what we were going to and thought the experience was unbelievable, but some people hadn't expected this and were disappointed. - Gillian Slater
Responsible Travel would like to thank the Sarawak tourist board for their sponsorship of this guide
More about Sarawak
A quick glimpse at our temperature & rainfall chart will tell you the best time to visit Sarawak in terms of the weather however, delve a little deeper and you’ll discover a month by month guide.
If you’re looking to learn all about Malaysia’s largest state then our Sarawak travel guide does just the job with a brief history of Sarawak as well as a 2 minute summary to help you travel like a local on your Sarawak holiday.
Make the most of your time by checking out our interactive map of highlights, travel times and suggested itineraries which will give you a much better idea as to where to go in Sarawak and what to do when you get there.
There's lots of things to do in Sarawak with Mulu National Park, Bako National Park and Gunung National Park all providing trekking and nature trails to help you understand everything from orangutan conservation to living like a local.
If you travel into the Central Highlands of Sarawak you'll find the Lun Bawang people living in a collection of villages known as Ba’kelalan, their culture and heritage at the core of community tourism in Sarawak.
There are some 30 Sarawak national parks, all different, all extraordinary although not all accessible - you have to keep a few secrets to yourself naturally, but our guide explains where to start your journey around the biodiverse beauties.
Sarawak adventure holidays release you into a truly spectacular natural landscape, one of dense rainforest and vibrant green plateaus snaked across by the toffee-coloured waters of the Sarawak River.
If the late, great Ella Fitzgerald were still singing on our mortal coil, she would almost certainly have graced the stage of the Rainforest World Music Festival in Sarawak, one of the most celebrated of its kind in the world.
Community led conservation projects are really a change in Sarawak, and these also provide some of the most fascinating and life affirming experiences for visitors keen to contribute to orangutan conservation efforts.
There are over twenty Important Bird Areas in Sarawak alone - really is birding bliss - and with a plethora of national parks too, the infrastructure allows lots of ways to go bird watching in Sarawak.
Sarawak is a truly unsurpassed destination to see the highly endangered orangutan in the wild in Batang Ai National Park, living symbiotically with the local Iban community which contributes to it's protection.
Exploring the culture in Sarawak is one of the key reasons to visit the Land of the Hornbills - tours here introduce you to riveting tribal customs, the heritage of the Brooke Dynasty, and many colourful festivals.
Discover the picturesque riverside gateway to Sarawak and Malaysian Borneo - Kuching: a romantic, sophisticated city that's just as rich with culture heritage as it is with colourful atmosphere.
It’s easily reached from both Kuala Lumpur and Singapore by air, and there is a great deal to see in a fairly compact area, so the benefits of a short tour to Sarawak are as clear as the waters of its many dive sites.
The illustrious Brooke dynasty heritage can be seen across Sarawak, from the historic wooden forts they built to protect their kingdom, to renowned museums and a beautiful palace by the river.
Sarawak wildlife ranges from the endangered orangutans that are found only here and Sumatra to big-nosed proboscis monkeys, rare Irrawaddy dolphins and sea turtles, found across some 30 protected areas.
Travelling in Sarawak with kids is all about finding things they’ll enjoy and learn from at the same time with cultural villages, Kuching Cat Museum and the Sarawak Caves in Gunung Mulu National Park, all perfect activities.
Wildlife & environment issues are integral to responsible tourism in Sarawak - reforestation, volunteering responsibly and positive community tourism are just a few of the areas you’ll need to read about to travel better.
protection
Photo credits: [Page banner: charles taylor] [Weather advice: Jon Robson]
[River boat: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak Malaysia]
[Review 1 - Fiona Trolley: Paul]
[Review 2 - Deanne Ward-Thompson: ZiJing]
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